Volunteer
by TCD
Summary: Judges pick of the "A Christmas To Remember" contest :  The Cullens have a tradition for Christmas. Every year they each have to pick a charity. This year Edward's volunteer work brings him in contact with the girl of his dreams. Rated T. AU. BxE.


_**A/N**: I know I know, it's WAY too late to come with a Christmas One Shot but it's not my fault ;) This is my entry for the "A Christmas To Remember" contest :) And I won judges' pick! :D Awesome right? :D Well, let me know what you guys think :) Enjoy! :)_

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Volunteer**

"Edward it's time!" Alice yelled from downstairs.

Of course she didn't need to yell, she could whisper from three blocks down and I would still be able to hear her. But in her excitement she could get carried away sometimes.

"Coming," I said calmly as I made my way downstairs to join my family in the living room.

It was the same thing every Christmas Eve: Alice would make us pick a cause for us to invest time in. It would have to be based on helping the humans, or the needy as Alice liked to refer to them as. We would spend the two Christmas days performing our individual tasks and then get together on the evening of the second day for a family hunt and sharing of our stories.

You would think that Carlisle, who was a doctor in Forks' general hospital like he had been in every other hospital of every other town we had ever lived in, would not have to participate in the 'giving back to community'. You are mistaken.

"Carlisle can go first this year," Alice announced proudly.

"I still don't understand why I can't just go to work like any other day, I help more people there in a day than I could do in a lifetime in any other kind of profession," he argued like he did every year.

Our father loved his job more than anything in the world, except for our mother and us, and he would give anything to help out a human the best he could. His heightened senses made that he was the best surgeon any hospital could ever wish for, so his schedule was always completely booked, no matter how small the hospital he worked at was. He would always regret coming home from a day of work because it meant more innocent people would die that evening but he had to keep up the human façade.

"If you're not going to pick soon, I'll pick for you," Alice threatened, like she did every year.

All of us were scared of her suggestions. Emmett and I learned the hard way one of the first years we were playing this 'game'.

"Then the both of you will go dress up as clowns and entertain sick children at the hospital for the two Christmas days." Alice had said after Emmett and I had both come up blank on what we wanted to do.

"She takes way too much joy out of this, I'm beginning to think this is more about Alice's fun than it is about those 'needy ones'," Emmett grumbled before Alice gave him a death glare that would certainly have killed him if he wasn't already dead.

"The only thing that keeps it from being too suspicious is the fact that she participates herself as well," Jasper said comically. But he quickly silenced himself when he noticed Alice's expression. This would probably come back to bite him later.

"So what will it be Carlisle?" Alice refocused her attention on my father.

"Alright, alright, I'll help out in the soup kitchen this year," Carlisle said with disgust.

It was one of the worst things you could think of for us, the food smelled disgusting. But at least you could still see the appreciation and the joy it brings to the humans when you work there and that was a must for Alice as well. At least one member of the family would have to volunteer at the soup kitchen every year.

"I'll help you," Esme quickly offered. I could tell she was happy she still got to spend both Christmas days with her husband and Alice would never turn down a volunteer for the soup kitchen so it would be perfect for everybody.

"Next up, Rosalie," Alice continued strictly.

"Uuuhm, I don't know, I really don't like being around humans. You know that," she started to protest but she knew it was futile.

"Really? Every year you're going to do this?" Alice said while rolling her eyes at her sister. "Fine, then you can do something that doesn't involve actual contact with humans; you can man the intercom at the nearest airport. I'm sure it'll bring the humans great joy to hear your lovely voice doing the announcements for Christmas. Don't forget to wish them all happy holidays!" Alice added with a smirk.

_Well, at least no actual contact with humans._ I heard Rosalie think relieved. But even if she wouldn't have agreed, she knew better than to mess with Alice when she had one of her moods.

"I'll go help construction sites along a little without anyone knowing," Emmett offered proudly. It wouldn't take him much work and he didn't mind doing 'heavy lifting'.

"Perfect, that's the spirit," Alice said cheerfully as she turned her attention to Jasper.

"I'll visit retirement homes and make sure everyone there feels happy and warm instead of left alone and sad," Jasper said serenely.

He didn't like being around humans but he did like to help and his gift was perfect for helping the lonely on Christmas. He didn't have to get too close to the people to actually be able to help them.

"Brilliant plan love," Alice said happily. "You're last," she told me.

"I believe you still haven't told us _your_ plans either," I challenged, hoping to buy some time.

I had absolutely no idea what I would like to do this year but I wasn't going to let Alice choose for me ever again!

"Alright, I'll go first if you think it'll help you come up with something good," she replied smugly. "I'll design and make nice clothes for the people who have no money to buy them themselves. I'll drop by the soup kitchen and the Salvation Army to hand them out myself. If I would send them via mail it would be disaster, they never deliver anything on Christmas," she said with a sly grin.

"I can do that!" I said enthusiastically.

"_You _want to design and make clothes? I always knew you were a little gay, the way you always looked at me!" Emmett said with a smirk.

"That look is called disgust! And no I wasn't talking about designing and making clothes dumbass!" I shot back at him.

"Behave!" Esme said sternly but couldn't help but smile at our banter either.

"I meant delivering the mail on Christmas days. There are always belayed Christmas presents and it would be sad if someone couldn't get a present just because the mail wasn't on time. So I'll deliver all the left over mail before Christmas time is over," I said, proud of my plan.

"That's a wonderful plan Edward!" Esme said smilingly. "Very thoughtful."

"Alright, it's settled then!" Alice said contently. "It's going to be a great Christmas this year! I can feel it!"

"Yeah, yeah," Emmett, Jasper and I muttered in unison. Alice always said it was going to be a great Christmas but we all knew that there was always something to mess it up. Like children starting to cry when we performed, or ungrateful people at the soup kitchen. Sometimes it was hard to remember why we even bothered helping some people at all!

The next morning came quickly and we all said our goodbyes to set off to our respective chores. Alice was extremely excited about designing clothes to help her needy and the rest of the family actually seemed optimistic as well. As if we all believed this was going to be a great and worry-free, problem-free Christmas.

I arrived at the post office quickly and was sad to notice the number of presents and letters that actually had stayed behind and hadn't been delivered on time. I filled up one of the vans with as many letters and boxes I could fit in there and drove to the first address. There was nobody working at the office today or tomorrow anyways so it wouldn't be a problem for me to load and unload at vampire speed, making me the most efficient mailman anyone had ever seen.

Before noon I had already finished a quarter of all the letters and presents that needed to be delivered in the area of Forks and I would finish another quarter this afternoon. I had to stop after five. It was already strange enough that there was one mailman working on Christmas but for that same mailman to work after normal working hours would be very suspicious.

So at exactly five o'clock I rang the doorbell of the last package I would deliver today. It was a small package and not very heavy and for some reason I was curious to see what was in it. The door opened slowly and I was standing face to face with the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her scent hit me immediately and venom welled up in my throat and mouth. The scent of her blood was intoxicating and I had a hard time focusing.

"Can I help you?" the girl asked shyly, breaking me out of my trance.

I was drawn by the sound of her voice and the blush on her cheeks. She was stunning to say the least.

"Sir?" she asked politely after I had been staring at the girl without saying anything for what felt like years.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, deeply ashamed. "I have a delivery for Miss Swan?" I said.

"I didn't think you guys delivered on Christmas days," she said surprised. "But this is perfect! That's the present I bought my father for Christmas, I was already sad that it wasn't going to arrive on time," she said gratefully.

Her smile was breathtaking and I almost forgot to reply. "It's just me," I said with a shrug, unable to lie to this wonderful creature.

"Oh, you don't want to celebrate Christmas with your family?" she questioned, seeming genuinely interested.

"It's tradition in our family to help out others on Christmas," I explained.

"That's a great initiative," she said appreciatively.

Only then, when I tried to figure out if she was being polite by asking these questions and talking to me or if she was genuinely interested, did I notice that I couldn't hear her thoughts. It fascinated me and scared me at the same time. I wanted so badly to know what was going on in her mind but it would probably be better for me not to know.

But I needed to know what made the blood rush to her cheeks every time, causing that beautiful face to become even more appealing.

"It's nothing," I shrugged.

"Well, I think it's wonderful," she spoke powerfully and the intensity in her voice surprised me. She seemed truly surprised and amazed.

"Thank you," was all I could say.

"So you will be working again tomorrow?" she asked softly.

"Yes I will," I replied, wondering why she was blushing again. "Is there anything special you are still waiting for?" I asked, intrigued.

"Uhm, well I don't want you to go through any extra trouble or anything!" she said cautiously.

"It's no trouble at all! What do you need?" I interrupted quickly.

"Well, my mother sent a book over, my favorite book actually, from Phoenix and I always read it during Christmas. I was hoping it would arrive before Christmas but it hasn't arrived so far," she explained shyly.

"I will make sure it'll be here tomorrow!" I promised her solemnly.

"That would be amazing!" she replied enthusiastically. "But really, I don't want you to go through any extra trouble on my behalf," she added quickly.

"Like I said; it's no trouble at all!" I assured her.

"Alright, thank you," she said softly and it took everything I had not to bring my hand to her face and stroke her cheek. I wanted to feel her soft skin against my hand and hold her close to my body.

It was strange to notice the feelings she awakened in me. I had never felt this way before and I didn't know what to do with it. She fascinated me and she didn't seem like any other girl I had ever met before. She was genuinely interested and kind. I was very much looking forward to seeing this girl again tomorrow.

"I'm Bella, by the way, Bella Swan," the girl introduced herself with a blush while extending her hand towards me for me to shake.

I wanted nothing more than to take her hand, to be able to feel her skin. But I was afraid I wouldn't be able to control myself anymore. She did smell delicious, more delicious than anything I had ever smelled before. But it would be rude to let her hang like this as well. So I decided to give in.

"It's very nice to meet you Bella, I'm Edward Cullen," I said while shaking her hand. The feeling was unlike anything I could have imagined. A shock of electricity burned my hand where her skin had touched mine and the feeling was overwhelming. I wanted nothing more than to feel her touch again but that would be rude and dangerous. I had to control myself.

I was happy to learn that I could indeed control myself.

"I will see you tomorrow then Bella," I said softly after composing myself again. "Have a great evening!"

"Yes, see you tomorrow," Bella replied. She looked a little taken aback, as if she had felt the same as I had. But that could easily be just me imagining things.

I turned around and walked to my car. I had never once understood what people meant when they said their legs felt like they were made of jelly but as I wobbled back to my car I finally understood. And I realized that the funny feeling in my stomach was what people called butterflies. Could it really be that I was in love with this girl?

"Someone enjoyed their work," Emmett said with a grin when I practically danced into the house.

"Yep," was my only reply as I danced past my family and up to my room. I wanted to be alone to reflect on what had occurred.

I spent the entire evening thinking about Bella, about her scent and the way she looked. She was amazing and the more I thought of what she had said and the look in her eyes, her beautiful brown eyes, the more I wanted to get to know her.

The entire day passed by in a blur, I delivered all the packages and letters quickly and with my head far up in the clouds. I saved Bella's book for last. To make sure I had enough time to deliver all the other things and still be able to talk to Bella without having to rush.

I parked the company truck on the driveway and I noticed the curtains move.

"I'll get it dad," I heard Bella say in a rush.

_Did the doorbell ring? She's never been this eager to answer a door before. Quite frankly she's been acting a bit strange all day already, ever since yesterday evening. _I heard Bella's father think as he thought of the look in Bella's eyes yesterday evening and all throughout the day. The look reminded me much of the look I had seen through my families eyes. It was the same look I had had last night when I came home after meeting Bella. Could it really be that she felt the same about me as I did about her?

I walked through the door and noticed something that hadn't been there before: a small green twig. I didn't recognize it at first but when I did I knew I would be blushing if I could. There was mistletoe hanging over the door.

And there she was, waiting in the doorway with a shy smile; the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. There was no doubt in my mind that this creature had completely taken over my heart, she would change me for good.

"Hi," she said shyly as I approached her.

"Hello," I replied politely, only barely able to control my voice."I brought your book," I said lamely, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Thank you so much! That's really great!" she said happily.

"May I ask which book it is?" I was cautious but I wanted to know so badly, discover another piece of the puzzle.

"It's Wuthering Heights," she said with a blush. "I've read it so many times already but it doesn't stop to amaze me," she added with passion and a little bit of shame.

"I've read that one," I said. "It's not my favorite book but it's not bad," I said carefully, unwilling to offend her in any way.

I handed Bella the package carefully and she took it from me but not before her hands touched mine and I felt the same electricity as I had felt yesterday. This time the shock and surprise in her eyes let me know that she indeed had felt the same as well.

We stared at each other in silence for a while. Then suddenly Bella looked up at the little twig and blushed.

I took it as a hint and leaned in close. I made sure I didn't close the entire distance between us, leaving her the choice to accept or reject me. I knew my heart would have been pounding in my throat by now had I still had a pulse and I was extremely nervous and afraid she would turn me down.

But to my surprise she didn't. Instead she leaned in closer, closing the distance between us completely and allowing our lips to brush against each other softly. It started out softly at first but the amazing feeling made me crave for more quickly. I stepped closer to her and put my arms around her back before I even realized what I was doing myself. I froze when my thoughts caught up to my actions, afraid of Bella's reaction. But again she surprised me by throwing her arms around my neck and burying her hands in my hair, pulling my face even closer to hers.

We stood on the porch for an immeasurable moment kissing passionately before Bella had to break for air. Even though I didn't need to breathe I still felt out of breath as we broke free.

"Wow," Bella breathed softly. "I don't know who hung up that mistletoe but I'm sure glad they did," she continued with a shy smile.

I should remember to thank Alice for that when I got home, I thought with a smile.

"Me too," I replied sincerely.

If Alice had arranged this, that would mean that it would all turn out okay and I didn't have to worry. It would be complicated with Bella being human and me being a vampire, but I was confident we could work it out.

"I should get back inside before my father comes to check on me," Bella said a little ruefully.

"Good idea," I said, just as sad that I had to leave her so soon again.

"Will I see you again very soon?" she asked hopeful.

"How about tomorrow?" I replied just as hopeful.

"That would be perfect!" she said enthusiastically and I just had to kiss her again for that.

This girl was truly amazing!

"I'll see you tomorrow then," I said before brushing my lips along hers once more.

"Tomorrow," she sighed happily.

That night I cancelled on the family hunting trip and when Alice explained the situation to my family they all were happy for me and understood that I wanted some time alone.

But I wasn't going to be completely alone. Bella fascinated me and I decided to go to her house tonight and watch her sleep. I wanted to know what she thought of more than anything and I had a feeling the only way for me to find out was to be with her while she is sleeping. So I made myself comfortable in a rocking chair in her bedroom after I had made sure that Bella was sound asleep.

"Edward," she sighed happily in her sleep.

Hearing her say my name with such love and happiness made my entire body warm and my heart melt. And so I spent the last hours of this year's Christmas in a perfect state of bliss. A Merry Christmas indeed!

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_A/N:_**_ A VERY LATE Merry Christmas! And a special thanks to my good friend and my wonderful Beta: **Love-it-away**! Let me know what you guys thought :) _

_If you like my stories you should also check out the new story I'm currently posting: **Uncovering Secrets** :)_

_Until Next Time_  
_Xxx_  
_Thari_


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